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Bad Blood (2004)
Bad Blood (2004) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which took place on June 13, 2004 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. It was the third and final annual Bad Blood event. The main event was a Hell in a Cell match, in which Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels in a ring surrounded by a steel structure of metal. Two bouts were featured on the undercard. In respective singles matches, World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeated Kane to retain his title and WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton defeated Shelton Benjamin to retain his title. The event marked the third time the Hell in a Cell format was used by WWE in a Bad Blood event; the first was at In Your House: Badd Blood in 1997. Bad Blood grossed over $494,000 ticket sales from an attendance of 9,000 and received 264,000 pay-per-view buys, and was instrumental in helping WWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $4.7 million compared to the previous year. When the event was released on DVD, it reached a peak position of third on Billboard's DVD Sales Chart. Background Seven professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event's card beforehand, which were planned with predetermined outcomes by WWE's script writers. The buildup to these matches and scenarios that took place before, during and after the event were also planned by the script writers. The event featured wrestlers and other talent from RAW's brand – a storyline expansion in which WWE assigned its employees. Wrestlers portrayed either a villainous or fan favorite gimmick, as they followed a series of events which generally built tension, leading to a wrestling match. The main event scripted into Bad Blood was fought in a Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and Shawn Michaels, a match where the ring is surrounded by a structure of metal. The buildup to the match began after Backlash, WWE's previous pay-per-view event, where a standard match involving three wrestlers, Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels and Triple H all competed for the World Heavyweight Championship, with Benoit successfully retaining his title. On the May 3 episode of RAW, one of WWE's primary television programs, General Manager Eric Bischoff, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, promoted a standard wrestling match, also called a singles match, World Heavyweight Championship match for that episode, between Benoit and Michaels. The title match saw Benoit successfully retain the title after interference by Triple H, one of the opponents in the Triple Threat match at Backlash. On the May 10 episode of RAW, at the start of the program, a singles match between Triple H and Shelton Benjamin resulted in a no contest after Michaels attacked Triple H; this resulted in a storyline suspension of Michaels from WWE by Bischoff. The following week on RAW, a number one contender's Battle Royal, an elimination style match where the last person remaining in the ring would be the winner, was scheduled, in which the winner would go on to face Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight title at Bad Blood. During the match, Triple H, a participant in the match, was eliminated by Michaels, who was not a participant in the match. On the May 24 episode of RAW, Bischoff scheduled Michaels and Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match at the Bad Blood event. One of the featured matches was contested for the World Heavyweight Championship, in which Chris Benoit defended the title against Kane. On the May 17 episode of RAW, Kane won a battle royal to receive a match against Benoit for his World Heavyweight title at Bad Blood. The following week, Kane held a promotional interview, in which he revealed that he envied Benoit for having the World Heavyweight Championship and concluded that he would win the championship. On the May 31 episode of RAW, Kane was scheduled in a match against Eugene. The match ended in a disqualification, after Kane hit Eugene with a folding chair. After the match ended, Kane lifted Eugene by the throat and slammed him down to execute a chokeslam, which prompted Kane to further the assault. Benoit, however, came down to the ring to Eugene's aid. The following week, a handicap match, where one wrestler faces a combination of wrestlers, was scheduled, in which Benoit and Edge faced off against La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and Robért Conway) and Kane. The match saw Kane perform a chokeslam and pin Benoit for the win. The other featured preliminary match was Randy Orton versus Shelton Benjamin in a singles match for Orton's Intercontinental Championship. On the May 17 episode of RAW, Randy Orton, who was a villain, was giving a speech. Shelton Benjamin interrupted Orton's speech and challenged Orton to an Intercontinental Championship match. The challenge, however, was denied by Orton, in which prompted Benjamin to attack Orton. The following week, an all-out brawl ensued between Orton and Chris Jericho. The brawl brought out fellow Evolution member, a group of wrestlers, Batista, to Orton's aid. Benjamin also made his way to the ring and evened the sides. As a result of the brawl, Bischoff announced a tag team match, in which Benjamin and Jericho defeated Orton and Batista. On the May 31 episode of RAW, it was announced that Orton would defend the Intercontinental Championship against Benjamin at Bad Blood. Event Before the event went live on pay-per-view, Batista defeated Maven (Maven Huffman) in a match taped for Heat, one of WWE's secondary television programs. Preliminary matches After Heat, the pay-per-view began with a tag team match for the World Tag Team Championship, where La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and Robért Conway) defended the title against Chris Benoit and Edge. La Résistance gained the early advantage when Conway grabbed Edge and rammed him onto the security wall, back first. At one point, Benoit applied a crossface submission hold on Grenier. Kane's pyrotechnics went off and made his way to the ring, as he entered the ring he hit Benoit with a big boot knocking him down, prompting the referee to end the match in a disqualification, thus La Résistance retaining the World Tag Team title. The second match was Tyson Tomko, accompanied by Trish Stratus, versus Chris Jericho in a singles match. In the early stages both competitors wrestled inconclusively, reversed each other's attacks, before Tyson backed Jericho into the ring corner and hit him numerous times with his elbows. Afterwards, Jericho attempted to springboard of the middle rope to perform a backflip, but Tomko rolled out of the way, sending Jericho to crash down to the mat. The match concluded as Jericho kicked Tyson in the back of the head to perform an enzuigiri and pinning Tomko for the win. The next match was for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, in which Randy Orton defended the championship against Shelton Benjamin. The match began with Benjamin performing a drop kick on Orton, which knocked him out to the outside of the ring. Benjamin proceeded to knock Orton over the security barricade into the crowd. Orton got the advantage, after Ric Flair made his way to the ring, distracting Benjamin in the process. The match came to an end when Benjamin went off the top rope and dove onto Orton, but Orton rolled through and hooked Benjamin's tights to pin Benjamin for the three count and retaining the Intercontinental Championship. The match that followed was a standard match involving four wrestlers for the WWE Women's Championship, in which Victoria defended the title against Trish Stratus, Lita, and Gail Kim. The start of the match saw Victoria and Lita double team Stratus, however, Stratus avoided the assault, as she rolled out of the ring. Lita and Victoria went on to double team Kim, however, Stratus pulled Lita out of the ring, afterward Victoria performed a backflip and landed on Kim's torso. Lita then drove Kim's head into the mat. Stratus grabbed Lita's legs and positioned her on her shoulders to gain a pinfall victory, thus Stratus' becoming Women's champion for a fifth time. The fifth match was between Eugene and Jonathan Coachman in a standard match. The match started with Eugene hitting an arm drag on Coachman and hitting numerous headbutts. An unknown woman in a bikini came out to the ringside area with some cookies, Coachman offered cookies to Eugene. The woman lured Eugene out of the ring and Eugene went over and grabbed some cookies. As Eugene went to grab more cookies, Coachman slammed Eugene's head into the cookie tray. A spot in the match saw Garrison Cade come out to ringside with a stuffed animal, which prompted Cade to tore up toy animal. Cade tried to hold Eugene so Coachman could get the advantage, however, Eugene was able dodge the attack, as Coachman ended up hitting Cade instead. Eugene grabbed Coachman and lifted him by holding his back horizontally and slamming it down, termed as a side slam. Eugene pinned Coachman for the three count for the win. Main event matches The featured preliminary match was for the World Heavyweight Championship, in which Chris Benoit defended the championship against Kane. Benoit started the match by hitting Kane numerous times with slaps to the chest. Mid-way in the match, Benoit charged towards Kane, but Kane hit a variation of the side slam and tossed him over the top rope to the arena floor, Kane then stepped out of the ring and grabbed Benoit, in which he wanted to launch Benoit into the ring post, but Benoit was able to reverse Kane's attack and slammed him into the ring post. After blocking a crossface attempt, Kane chokeslammed Benoit for a two count. The match concluded with Kane headed to the top rope and coming off to attempt and hit Benoit with his forearm by jumping off the top rope but Benoit went for another crossface, but Kane fought out of it and Benoit rolled Kane up in a pin to get a three count, and thus retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. The main event was the Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and Triple H. The match began with Michaels jumping and knocking Triple H over. This was followed with Michaels' slamming Triple H's head onto the steel cage, resulting in Triple H being scripted to bleed from the forehead, the blood loss results from a cut that the wrestler performs during the match called blading. Triple H got the advantage, as he was able to counter a Piledriver and performed a back body drop on Michaels. Another attack saw Triple H bring the steel steps and hit Michaels with them, which resulted in Michaels also being scripted to bleed from the forehead. A spot in the match saw Michaels lay Triple H on a table, as he climbed onto a ladder that he took out from under the ring, and performed a dive with his elbow cocked onto Triple H's chest, thus breaking the table and enhancing the maneuver. Afterwards, Triple H gained the advantage and performed a Pedigree on Michaels. Triple H covered Michaels for the win via pinfall. After the match, Michaels staggered to his feet and was given a standing ovation by the audience. Aftermath Following Bad Blood, Raw commentator Jim Ross tried making amends between Shawn Michaels and Triple H by making them shake hands. Michaels and Triple H extended their hands to shake, however, Kane came out and attacked Michaels, which resulted in Kane, in storyline, crushing Michaels' throat with a wedged chair. Michaels was then taken out in an ambulance for medical attention. Lita being pregnant was scripted into a storyline. On the June 21 episode of RAW, it appeared that Lita's, boyfriend at that time, Matt Hardy was going to propose to Lita, who found out she was pregnant, but he was interrupted by Kane, who claimed to be the father of Lita's child. Two months later, it was revealed that Kane was, indeed, the father. At SummerSlam, the staged rivalry between Kane and Hardy intensified, when they were booked in a "Till Death Do Us Part" match, with the stipulation that Lita would be obliged to marry Kane should Hardy lose. Kane won the match, leading to he and a reluctant Lita marrying one another on an episode of RAW. On the August 30 episode of RAW, Kane revealed that Eric Bischoff's wedding gift to them was to name any match he wanted for at the September annual event, Unforgiven. Continuing with the scripted angle, Lita informed Kane that his opponent at the event was Shawn Michaels. At Unforgiven, Michaels defeated Kane in a no disqualification match, a match where neither wrestler can be disqualified, allowing for weapons and outside interference. On the June 21 episode of RAW, a number one contender's match between Eugene and Triple H was scheduled in which the winner would face Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship. The match, however, ended in a No Contest. On the June 28 episode of RAW, a rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship between Benoit and Kane took place. A stipulation was placed that Benoit had to win the match by submission, as Kane could've won by pinfall, submission, disqualification or countout. Benoit won the match, after he made Kane submit to a crossface, and thus defending the World Heavyweight Championship at Vengeance against Triple H. At Vengeance, Benoit defeated Triple H to retain his Championship. A heated confrontation between Randy Orton and Edge was seen. This angle led Edge to perform a shoulder block takedown on Orton, this is seen as an attack where the attacking wrestler charges towards the opponent and tackling, thus forcing the opponent down to the mat. The following week, it was announced that Orton would defend the Intercontinental Championship against Edge at Vengeance. Weeks leading to the event, both men took the upper hand over one another. Reception The Nationwide Arena usually can accommodate 19,500, but the capacity was reduced for the event. This event grossed over $494,000 from an approximate attendance of 9,000 which was the maximum allowed. It also received 264,000 pay-per-view buys. Bad Blood helped WWE earn $21.6 million in revenue from pay-per-view events versus $16.9 million the previous year, which was later confirmed by Linda McMahon, the CEO of WWE, on September 7, 2005 in a quarterly result. Canadian Online Explorer's professional wrestling section rated the event a five out of 10 stars. The rating was higher than the Bad Blood event in 2003, which rated a four out of 10 stars. The World Heavyweight Championship match between Chris Benoit and Kane was rated an eight out of 10 stars. Additionally, the match between Eugene and Jonathan Coachman was rated zero out of 10 stars. The event was released on DVD on July 13, 2004. The DVD was distributed by the label, Sony Music Entertainment. The DVD reached third on Billboard's DVD Sales Chart for recreational sports during the week of August 28, 2004, although falling thereafter. It remained in the chart for two consecutive weeks, until the week of September 25, 2004, when it ranked 19th. Results Category:2004 in wrestling Category:Pay-Per-View Events Category:WWE Bad Blood Category:WWE for Extreme